Exclusive Interview With Rueben Randle – NFL Wide Receiver

While the ending to the professional football career of former NFL wide receiver Rueben Randle is still being written, it’s hard not to look back on his football-playing days and refer to it as anything but a success.

A former five-star recruit and #1 wide receiver in the nation coming out of high school Bastrop, Louisiana, Randle enrolled at Louisiana State University (LSU), and as a member of the Tigers, won an SEC Championship, appeared in a National Championship game, and was named an Associated Press second-team All-American. Randle would parlay that success into a second-round pick in the 2012 NFL Draft (taken by the New York Giants), and a five-year career in the NFL.

We here at HomeBleachers.com got the opportunity to exclusively interview Randle, to find out how life after football has been treating him, and get his thoughts on the recent developments surrounding COVID-19 and its impact on the NFL world.

Having gone through the NFL Draft process himself not too long ago, Randle expressed nothing but happiness for the college players selected in the 2020 NFL Draft being able to share that treasured moment with family, loved ones, and friends, given the current social distancing restrictions we currently face.

“I thought it was dope to see the guys bring in that moment with their loved ones,” said Randle. “[It’s a] very special day that you’d love to bring in those close to [you].” Randle also provided advice for those players who are just beginning their NFL careers: “my advice would be to just enjoy the ride; understand it’s a business but have fun and make the most of it.”

Very likely reveling in the aftermath of LSU’s recent championship win, Randle spoke fondly of both his decision to attend the university, and his ties to the program through today.

When asked about his decision to attend LSU in the first place, Randle stated: “I think it’s important you choose a school that is going to let you explore your full potential. That’s what I expected when I chose LSU, on top of it being closer to home.”

One of the other benefits, of course, of attending LSU, was the fact that he would be playing alongside so many guys who themselves would be professional football players some day. Ever the competitor, Randle vouched for that sentiment, when asked about it.

“Playing with and against former teammates was the thing I enjoyed most. [It was] always a pleasure sharing the field with those guys.”

As mentioned, having been out of the NFL since 2017 has allowed Randle more time to visit his alma mater, and maybe provide a few pointers to some of the high-profile wide receivers that have recently left or will be coming out of Baton Rouge in the near future.  “I just recently started going back more. Coach [Ed Orgeron] has been more welcoming to former players coming back and being around the program.”

But don’t that statement indicate any confirmation of him passing along his NFL-playing torch. Deep down, Randle still holds aspirations of someday making a return to professional football – even if it’s not on his current personal roadmap.

“I haven’t fully shut the door on playing again. But I’m currently just trying to find different business ventures to expand on. Along with being a dad.”